I'm gonna do a cpl size comps here:
Our light brahma now, same size as others. She's a May baby.
When we first got her, she's trippled in size! I think 5 mts here, perhaps just under? She was the size of a 2 month old.:

Our br's from him. Same age as my 6-7 month olds.
One month later, still TINEY!
Tinker, our Cochin. From the same shipment as the brahma, May. So 5 month? Size of a 7 week old.
One month later, doubled in size!

These are just some of the chickens I traded that idiot for. They were the ones in pens the size of bird cages and some larger but overcrouded. Piled skyhigh, 3++++" of poo. Never touched grass, never stretched their winds, and never tasted anything but muddy/poopy water and crack corn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Mommax4

I also don't do much winterizing, I've read the same thing about the heat light and also that chickens put out enough. Anyway my girls did well last year.

We butchered three roosters a few weeks ago, at their prime. They didn't have much meat and it was tough. Makes u wonder what they do to the ones that end up in the grocery store?

Here are some of the girls and of course sparky our buff brahma roo who doesn't crow?!?!?The br's are georgious! You have a lovely flock!!!
We do wood chips and straw, w/o any odor issues. I def don't clean it twice a day either. I did send the hubs that waterer link!

But now my girls aren't laying in there boxes, I can't even find any eggs!! What the heck!! Just moved them last w/e I did have a few eggs since then so I don't know what's going on. Ill have to make sure they're not hiding them, that does happen sometimes!Could something be getting them?
Oh btw I'm Chloe, we leave in north eastern pa, we've had our oldest girls almost two years now. And a total of 18 all together, our others are from this march and the summer. Our barred rocks from march are just starting to lay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Mommax4

I've always been worried about our outside water as well. Luckily we put our efm coal furnace in the third bay of our garage/barn and that heats that room. Then my hubs installed a utility sink w hot/cold water so I just fill from there.

Last yr we didn't have a Warner I just gave them fresh water everyday.

That's a great setup!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geckmumto3

DH ends up doing most of the processing for us right now, as he worked a chicken farm when he was younger. He is just more efficient. I had zero experience. I don't mind it, I just am very slow.... And I am thrilled we have the chickens, but everyone teases us because they were his thing when we moved out to the farm. And now, they are all my babies.

I'm slow! Just me though. Now give me a rabbit and it's a diff story, haha.

We trek it down. We have a big trough at the barn for rainwater, and if it is not a crazy cold winter, we chop the top of it with an ax and use that water. Otherwise, I fill at the house and bring it to the barn. When FIL ran the farm, he kept horses in the barn and he used the water to the barn all winter long. Well, the first winter we were here, one of the lines burst from freezing, so we shut it down in the late fall now. I suppose if we had more livestock down there, other than chickens, we might figure out a solution.

I like the trough idea. Your fil prob was steadily useing the water for the livestock and it kept it from freezing. Busted lines really stink in the winter. Lord know we have had our share as well.